Organization claims 29-year-old righty Patterson from Yankees

For the second time in as many days, the Padres today claimed a pitcher on waivers from an American League team.

Right-handed reliever Scott Patterson, 29, was claimed from the New York Yankees a day after the Padres claimed 24-year-old knuckleballer Charlie Haeger from the Chicago White Sox.

To make room for Patterson on the 40-man roster, the Padres shifted catcher Michael Barrett from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

Patterson was 2-1 with five saves in 42 relief appearances with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. He made one appearance with the Yankees, striking out two in 1 1/3 innings of relief on June 1 at Minnesota. He also had 54 strikeouts against 13 walks in 47 1/3 innings with the Yankees Triple-A team.

Patterson is expected to join the Padres Saturday.

Meantime, the Padres open a four-game series with San Francisco Thursday night at Petco Park (7:05 p.m.; TV: 4 San Diego).

The Giants completed a three-game sweep of Arizona in San Francisco yesterday afternoon and have won five in a row. Bruce Bochy's club has already clinched the season series against the Padres with a 10-4 mark that includes a 4-1 advantage at Petco Park.

In his first two major league starts against the Rockies and Brewers, Geer, 25, has allowed two runs over five innings in both games. Geer was 8-9 with a 4.54 ERA in 27 starts with Triple-A Portland this season. He was the Double-A Texas League Pitcher of the Year in 2007 with a 16-6 record and 3.20 ERA.

Cain is 3-4 lifetime against the Padres with a 2.44 ERA in 15 starts. Over that span, Padres hitters have batted .181 against Cain. Cain is making his team-leading 31st start and is 3-4 with a 2.88 ERA over his last 11 starts. Cain ranks sixth in the National League with 194 1/3 innings pitched and eighth in night ERA (3.10).